Tragedy struck in northern Syria’s desert region as at least 12 individuals searching for truffles lost their lives, with eight others sustaining injuries on Saturday when their vehicle struck a land mine.
Every year between February and April, scores of Syrians, many facing economic hardship, venture into the expansive Syrian desert, known as the Badia, in search of truffles. However, this activity carries significant risk due to the presence of jihadists and the prevalence of land mines scattered across the area.
Recent weeks have witnessed a series of fatal mine explosions as Syrians engage in truffle hunting. Authorities have repeatedly cautioned against this perilous practice.
Earlier this month, gunmen believed to be affiliated with Daesh, also known as ISIS, perpetrated an attack in the desert, resulting in the deaths of 18 individuals, predominantly civilians, who were part of a group of truffle hunters, according to reports from the Observatory.
In a similar incident last month, state media reported that a land mine left by Daesh claimed the lives of 14 people foraging for truffles in the Raqqa desert.
Although ISIS lost its remaining territories in Syria in March 2019 following a military campaign supported by a US-led coalition, remnants of the militant group continue to hide in the desert and carry out deadly attacks.
These attacks target civilians, Kurdish-led forces, Syrian government troops, and pro-Iran fighters, while also extending into neighboring Iraq.
